- According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH):
- 754,000 people were homeless on an average day in the U.S. in 2005. (This was less than .3 % of the U.S. population.) Only about 55% could find a place in a shelter. The rest, about 335,000 people, were on the streets. One-third of the unsheltered homeless (approximately 112,000 people) were persons in families. Most of these were children.
- 47% of all homeless people are men and 59% are minorities.
- 39% are children younger than 18; 42% of these children are under the age of 5.
- 40% are veterans.
- A person's rent should typically cost about 30% of his or her earnings (leaving money for food, clothing, education, and other necessities); however, "in every state, more than [30% of earnings at] the minimum wage is required to afford a one or two-bedroom apartment." Then where do minimum-wage earners with families live? All too often they are forced into homeless shelters or they live on the streets.
"The"The Pursuit of Happyness" tells us that homelessness isn't a problem for "other" people; it's a problem for "real" people. It's important to remember The Golden Rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. What if you or members of your family were without a place to sleep and there was no one to help you? How would you create a plan for you and your family, as the main character in this film had to do? Be thoughtful in your approach and reference the importance of adhering to a budget.
If I was stuck in a sticky situation where I had no place to stay and bills to pay, i'd seek help from the nearest family member I could find and ask if I could just stay on their couch for some small time, and do nothing but work towards bettering myself again, even if that means paying the person who let me couch surf after i'm on my feet, just to show them that i'm thankful for what they let me do. To start doing better i'd set up a budget where i'm spending a small amount of money to make sure I can eat, then keep the rest for emergencies / saving to eventually get my own place again. I'd be very mindful of what my moneys being spent on, and if I actually even need to spend it on everything that comes to my head.
ReplyDeleteIt's tough when you know people in this predicament and you try to use logical reasoning, as you've described. I think it's scary and can cause people to lose hope in humanity. Keep this in mind when you meet someone like this on the mainland. Living paycheck to paycheck is a reality for people and having a helpful attitude is a two-way street. Thanks Nick!
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I wouldn't seek help from others right away. I would try and find my true potential. I wouldn't just sit there lose confidence, I'd take immediate action by getting a job or studying for the GED exam to continue my education. The way I see it, It is never too late to succeed. You just need the right mentality, the discipline, and work ethic like the protagonist.
ReplyDeleteI am very grateful for what I have but if I was in a situation like that I would probably find a family member who is kind enough to provide me a place to stay until i get back on my feet and can pay bills and have a place of my own. Its hard to imagine ever being in a situation like that since all I've ever known was living in a house and having my parents pay bills, but since I'll be on my own soon that situation can occur and it's a scary thought but as long as I follow what my parents taught me and budget my money I can get through anything. It also gives you something to work towards and gives you drive & determination to make sure you don't take what we have now for granted.
ReplyDeleteHomelessness is a difficult problem. Not only because of the inhumanity its approached with, but also the lack of attention it is given. Homelessness is the elephant in the room. Society refuses to address it wholeheartedly because it is such a difficult and ethically challenging situation. As a society we have reached a point in which homelessness is a part of our every day life. We have become immune and desensitized. Even the smallest community has vagrants. It is hard to view these people with compassion when we work hard all day. We often feel that we have earned our right to live in a home with our family. We choose to label the destitute as "lazy" or actually willing to live on the streets. Although some do choose this life, the majority do not. They find themselves in an irreversible situation, a catch-22 in which to escape the streets they need money but to get money they can't be on the streets. If I were to find myself in this situation, alone or with my family, I would primarily have to overcome the shame of being different, of being "not good enough" in the eyes of society. Next I would have to come to terms with becoming invisible, ignored, untouchable. People see homeless not as human beings, but as animals. After viewing my state as temporary, I would begin to elevate myself. I would take advantage of shelters, etc, in order to maintain my hygiene. With a good appearance I would be able to blend is with "accepted" and "worthy" society as Chris did. I would expose and promote the skills I do possess, ignoring for the time my weaknesses, or, as Chris did, elevate my strengths above my weaknesses. I would also work hard in finding fast, temporary jobs (donating blood, participating in studies, etc) in order to generate a small income. I would save this money. I would not spend it. I would take advantage of the shelters and the free food until I managed to secure enough money to become slightly more financially stable. I believe budgeting is key after one becomes homeless. Many times, vagrants squander their money, and spend it as soon as they earn it. Through this lifestyle it is impossible to elevate yourself and attempt to re-enter the workings of society. From my saving, and hard work I would eventually hope to secure a job. I would start at the bottom, a bus boy, or perhaps a newspaper salesman. From there I would begin to apply to higher paying jobs, and continue to save until I could afford food and rent. Homelessness is not a problem that affects only the homeless. It is a problem that affects society. In order to change the 800'000 count of homelessness, we must change our mindset. We must begin to view these individuals as people. We must ask them how THEY want to be helped, IF they want to be helped. The Elephant in the room needs to be addressed and the inhumanity and unethical nature of the situation must be defeated through compassion, acceptance, and understanding.
ReplyDeleteSleeping in a warm bed and and eating home cooked meals provided by your mother, which most kids on this island have, is a huge gift that make young people ignorant to such a massive real world problem. If I were stuck in such a predicament I would start by setting up a budget that allows me to save every penny besides the money I need to eat. I would have to ask for help from a friend I trust because there would be no room for pride. In the mean time I'd look for a place to stay that I can afford and depending on where you live that can take very long or it can be fast. this movie taught me to not be so ignorant.
ReplyDeleteI am fortunate to have a safe place to live in and food, but if I were in a situation where i had no place to stay and a very low income,if any I would first seek help from someone in my family. Once I have a place to stay i would look a job. I would work and save all my money. I would only waist money on things I really need and not on things I want.I would cautiously create a budget and save as much money as possible,so i can eventually rent an apartment of my own.It is sad to believe that there are thousands of homeless people out there. I find it a blessing to have a family that you know will always be there, but what about those whose family isn't willing to lend a hand. I hope that we keep aware of how much others need our help,and that when you see someone in need, You don't hesitate to help.
ReplyDeleteI would find a family member who would be kind enough to take us in and provide for us till we get back on our feet. I would then find a job myself and make sure that my other family members find a job too. I would then start budgeting our money so that we would not end up homeless again.
ReplyDeleteIf I was ever homeless the biggest problem facing me is obviously money, but who is going to hire a homeless person that hasn't showered in days and is wearing torn clothes? The first thing I would do is collect recyclables during the day and do my best to get into a homeless shelter. After collecting enough recyclables I would sell it and immediately budget my money with a focus on food and decent clothes. Anything I would have left would go to getting a gym membership so that I have access to a shower any time I want. With decent clothes and hygiene I would apply to a job and begin to save up for a cheap apartment.
ReplyDeletePersonally I believe that not enough awareness is being brought to homelessness because nowadays it's not unusual to see a homeless person on the streets. I am very grateful for all the things that I have, but I also think that we take every day necessities for granted without even realizing that we are doing so. If I were in a situation where I had a little to no income, had no place to live etc, the first thing I would do is seek help from a family member. Once I was sheltered I would look for a job to begin saving/budgeting my money to get myself back on my feet and eventually look for somewhere else to live. The next and most important thing would be to keep track of what/where my money is being spent on and making sure I still save money. Starting a savings account in the bank would be a really good idea because it would ensure that I save some money just in case of an emergency where I would need to access it. It is definitely really heartbreaking that there are so many homeless people nowadays and there's not as many shelters that can give them a kick start to get them back on track. I am very very thankful for the family I have because they have provided me with a loving and stable home with the everyday necessities I as well as my siblings need. But there are families and people out there that don't have this same support. For this reason it is important that we try and help address this situation and stop avoiding the obvious because it's not going to magically go away if anything it's only going to continue to escalate and get worse.
ReplyDeleteIf I were ever homeless I would seek out for help from my older brother, and probably crash on his sofa until I get back on my feet. If I were like Chris applying for a job that's really hard to get, I would find a job as a waitress, instead of waiting for a miracle to happen. With the job as a waitress I would save up all my earnings, spending my money only on things I really need. Then if i were to get hired at the really hard job, I would save more money until I have enough money to rent an apartment making sure the rent is no more than 30% of my income. But facing the harsher reality, what if not even my brother would want to help me when I needed him the most. Well first of all I would disown him a my brother( lol Jk) Basically I would do everything like If would let me crash at his place, but instead of staying at his place I would stay in a Homeless Shelter. But yeah you never know what might happen, so its always good to live on a budget and be financially prepared for unexpected situations.
ReplyDeleteI am fortunate to have a roof over my head and food on the table, homlessness is a huge problem everywhere in the world. If i was in that tragic situation where I had no place to live IO would reach out to a genuine family member or friend and ask them if i could sleep on their couch to give me time to get back on my feet. I would get nicely dressed and go search for a job and if i can i would get a day job and a night job as well. I will try my absolute hardest to get out of that situaition just like Chris does in the "Pursuit of Happyness." I had mad respect for the person who got out of that terrible situation. Once I start working I would definetly be on a budget and spend the least money possible on neccessities. I would also save money just in case of an emergency. Once i get back on my feet i would definately attemp to pay the person who helped me get back on my feet, not all at one time but like a monthly payment. If i cant pay them back at that time, i will ppay them back later. I would have the same characteristics as Chris in the movie, not quitting when things get hard and rough. I would do my best to reach my goal and be able to be financially stable.
ReplyDelete